Shofar blown on the full moon

[epoheno]

Hi all-

I have a question for anyone interested in discussing with me what Psalms 81:3-5 is actually referring to.

3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
Psalms 81:3-5 (KJV)

The underlined phrases are the criteria that this event and activity must take place within.

The word 'trumpet' is the Hebrew word 'shofar' which is a ram's horn in distinction to the two silver trumpets outlined in Numbers 10 which were to be blown at the beginnings of their months and the holy convocations, but no mention was made concerning a ram's horn.

The phrase 'in the new moon' could seemingly be any new month that fits with the rest of the criteria.

The phrase 'in the time appointed' is translated in the KVJ from the Hebrew word (actually borrowed from Aramic) 'keseh' which other Bibles render to be 'in the full moon.'

The definition of 'full moon' seems unavoidable while the term in the KJV translation of 'in the appointed time' would still be technically correct although it does not give us the distinct advantage of identifying and restricting this 'appointed time' to mean that it must occur on an actual time when the moon would be full.

When was there any mention in the law of Moses concerning the feast days that a shofar was commanded to be blown on a full moon?

Passover and Trumpets both happened on the 14th or 15th of a month which would be full moons but no shofar trumpet was commanded to be blown, only the silver trumpets.

On the 10th day of the 7th month (Day of Atonement) there was a command for the Jubile Trumpet to be blown on the fiftieth year which does refer specifically to a ram's horn but there would not be a full moon on that day.

We cannot assume that this ordinance was later added by David in the Psalms for he states that this WAS an ordinance (already in place) WHEN Israel came out of Egypt.

Does anyone understand what feast day Psalms 81:3-5 is talking about that will fulfill all of the above criteria?

Blessings in Christ

 

[Steve Petersen]

Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee lexicon has an interesting note on the root word 'keseh.'

"This [full moon] etymology is not clear to me, for it is not satisfactory to say that it is so called from the whole moon being then covered with light (from the root 'kasah', 'kasa'). Verbs of covering are often applied in the sense of hiding and covering over, but never, as far as I know, to that of giving light.

The question becomes, 'Covered with what? Light or darkness?'

I think Gesenius is suggesting that the word 'keseh' should more properly be translated as 'hidden moon', what we would call the New Moon.

If this is true, then what you have in Psalm 81 is reiteration:

3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the hidden moon, on our solemn feast day.

I think this passage is referring to the only new moon sanctified by the blowing of the shofar; that is Rosh Ha Shana.

There is an interesting Jewish legend that Joseph was released from prison and became vizier to Pharaoh on Rosh Ha Shana.

 

[epoheno]

Thanks Steve for your reply-

It does seem plausible that 'covered' could mean covered with darkness which would then place the event rather at the begining of a new month instead of requiring it to occur at the middle of the month.

The problem that would remain is that there never was a command for a shofar to be blown on the first day of the seventh month, only the two silver trumpets.


24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
Lev 23:24 (KJV)

The word 'trumpets' here seems to be added to the text by the translators although in my KJV it is not in italics.

My Bible Explorer software leaves out any Strongs number that correlates with 'trumpet' as follows here:


24 Speak <1696>(8761) unto the children <1121> of Israel <3478>, saying <559>(8800), In the seventh <7637> month <2320>, in the first <259> day of the month <2320>, shall ye have a sabbath <7677>, a memorial <2146> of blowing <8643> of trumpets, [no number given...] an holy <6944> convocation <4744>.
Lev 23:24 (KJV w/ Strong's)

I added the words in italics that no number was given but you can see they did not put the word in italics nor give any Strongs number for the definition for this word.

Also Strongs Concordance places the word 'trumpet' in this verse in italics and gives no definition for this word.

My Libronix software also leaves out defining the word 'trumpet' in this verse and includes it within the definition of the next word (holy) which finishes off the phrase 'an holy convocation.'

For some reason the word 'trumpet' was apparently added by the translators. I wonder if some other manuscript actually states that a shofar was to be used.

From all the versions I have looked at anyway it seems that no one has brought up anything different than what appears here.

I don't see how any one in the OT could have known by the verse giving these instructions that theywere supposed to blow with a shofar when there seems to be no indication to do so.

David seems to be saying in Psalms that it was a known commandment that was given to Israel when they came out of Egypt. How did anyone know this?

 

[Steve Petersen]

If you look into the customs of Rosh Ha Shana during the Second Temple Period you will discover that the shofar is indeed blown along with the silver trumpet. The shofar is still blown today on that holiday in the synagogue.

This is from the Encyclopaedia Judaica article, Shofar:

The shofar is first mentioned in Exodus 19:16 at the theophany on Sinai. It was used to proclaim the Jubilee Year and the proclamation of "freedom throughout the land" (Lev. 25:9&#8211;10); this verse is engraved upon the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was to be sounded on Rosh Ha-Shanah, which is designated as "yom teru'ah" ("A day of blowing"; Num. 29:1). It was also used as an accompaniment to other musical instruments (Ps. 98:6), in processionals (Josh. 6:4ff.), as a signal (Josh. 6:12ff., II Sam. 15:10), as a clarion call to war (Judg. 3:27), and in order to induce fear (Amos 3:6).
When used in the Temple, the shofar was usually sounded in conjunction with the trumpet (hazozrah). The Talmud (RH 27a) states that the trumpet was made of silver while the processed horn of one of the five species of animal&#8212;sheep, goat, mountain goat, antelope, and gazelle&#8212;was used to fulfill the ritual commandment of the sounding of the shofar.

 

[epoheno]

Hi Steve-

If you look into the customs of Rosh Ha Shana during the Second Temple Period you will discover that the shofar is indeed blown along with the silver trumpet. The shofar is still blown today on that holiday in the synagogue.

Steve, there are many problems associated with quoting from Rabbinical sources as being authoritative.

We see Jesus confronting the Jewish leaders in his day with their traditions that they had and He told them that they made the word of God of none effect because of their traditions.

After the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD it only became worse.

Rabbi's substituted and deleted many things that Moses had commanded.

That is why I am not looking for what the Rabbi's traditions are, but want to go directly to scripture to see what was ordained of God to be practiced concerning the feast days.

This is from the Encyclopaedia Judaica article, Shofar:

The shofar is first mentioned in Exodus 19:16 at the theophany on Sinai. It was used to proclaim the Jubilee Year and the proclamation of "freedom throughout the land" (Lev. 25:9&#8211;10); this verse is engraved upon the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was to be sounded on Rosh Ha-Shanah, which is designated as "yom teru'ah" ("A day of blowing"; Num. 29:1).

The Encylopedia Judaica is only repeating what the Rabbi's taught and then making it appear that Moses said the same thing.

When they say 'It was to be sounded on Rosh Ha-Shannah, which is designated as 'yom teruah' ('A day of blowing": Num. 29:1) they give Numbers 29:1 as a reference but Numbers 29:1 does not say anything about Rosh Ha Shannah ('Head of the year')- nor does it say anything about ram's horns on Tishri 1 being blown, only silver trumpets thus far had been commanded to be blown at the beginning of their months.

1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.
Num 29:1 (KJV)

10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
Num 10:10 (KJV)

We can see from these two verses alone that there was nothing in Numbers 29:1 that designated Ram's horns or shofars to be blown rather that what was already commanded in Numbers 10:10 to occur at the beginning of their months.

However on the year of Jubile we have a different set of rules that applied. Every 50 years we have a Jublile (ram's horn) trumpet that was to be blown.

8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.
9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
Lev 25:8-9 (KJV)

The word 'trumpet' in this text is the Hebrew word 'shofar' and the Theological Word of the Old Testament defines it as such:

shopar, shopar. Shophar, ram's horn (ASV, "trumpet, " sometimes "comet, " RSV. 'ram's hom, " "trumpet, " "hom"). Used seventy-two times. The word is related to Akkadian shapparu "wild sheep" and Arabic sawafirun "ram's homs." In the Old Testament it is always used of the curved musical instrument made of the hom of a ram. The general word for the hom of an animal is qeren. This is used only once as a reference to a musical instrument. The word yobels, means basically "ram" (so also in Phoenician and Arabic), but in the Old Testament it is used as an instrument and then as a name of the year whose beginning it signalled, the Jubilee (Year). The word yobel is seemingly interchangeable with shopar (cf., for example, Exo 19:13, 16; Josh 6:4-5). Another word for "trumpet" is hasosra.
The shopar played a very important role in Old Testament history. When Israel was at Mount Sinai, it was a strong blast on the shopar that was the signal for Israel to approach. The arrival of the new moon and new year was heralded by a signal from the shophar (Psa 81:3 [H 4]), as was the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:9). It played a vital part in Israel's expressions of praise (Psa 98:6; Psa 150:3).
It was important in civil and military affairs as well. It announced a new king (1Kings 1:34; 2Kings 9:13). It served as a bugle for signals in battle (Jud 3:27; 2Sam 20:1). It was important in the fall of Jericho (Josh 6) and Gideon's defeat of the Midianites (Jud 7).

The other words for 'trumpet' in some of the other texts is not 'shofar' but rather 'chatsotsarah' which is defined in the TWOT as follows:

The trumpet was made of beaten silver (Num 10:2). According to Josephus in Antiquities 3.12.6 (291), "In length a little short of a cubit, it is a narrow tube, slightly thicker than a flute...." The trumpets of Herod's temple are depicted on the Arch of Titus and on silver denarius coins of Bar Cochba. Early Egyptian examples were found in Tutankhamon's tomb. It should be distinguished from the shopar, the curved ram's horn trumpet.

God Bless you and I hope I am not coming across like I am fighting against you because I am not, but am rather just making a distinction between what the Rabbi's have taught and what the scripture says.

Blessings in Christ

 

[Steve Petersen]

Aspects of the Temple service were given by the Spirit to King David:

1 Chr 28:11-13 (KJV) Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, 12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things: 13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.

The word 'service' above is the Hebrew 'avodah.' With regard to the Temple, this refers to how the ceremonies were carried out. It is an unwarranted assumption that the service of Rosh Ha Shana is ONLY a Rabbinic innovation, at least in regard to the use of the silver trumpets and the shofar.

I am a little disturbed at your negative view of the Rabbis and Sages. Who is closer to the history and tradition of these things anyway, you or them?

 

[epoheno]

Hi Steve-

Although God did give to David understanding to build the house of the Lord pertaining to the scripture verse you cited it was not given into the hand of Solomon to change any of the previously existing commandments that had been given by Moses:

19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.
1 Chron 29:19 (KJV)

Solomon was still under the same obligations as were the leaders before him and would be until the time that Jesus came and brought in a new covenant.

As far as the Rabbi's following the law it is clear from what Jesus said that he himself did not need to accuse them because Moses himself accused them in that they had rejected Jesus as being that prophet that should come into the world.

45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
John 5:45-47 (KJV)

Jesus said everyone who is of the truth heareth my voice and then told the Jews that they did not hear his voice because they were not of his sheep:

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:24-27 (KJV)

If the present day Rabbi's are really of God they would believe what Jesus said rather than be zealous of their own traditions.

Paul said he bare record of them that they did have a zeal for God but it was not according to knowledge:


2

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Romans 10:2-3 (KJV)

Of course we love them and want them to be saved just as we would want all men to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Again I am not coming against you, but rather am just comparing their beliefs with what scripture states.

God bless you.